In 1928, the Arthur Barrows, head of the Sears hardware department, registered the Craftsman trademark after buying the rights to use it from Marion-Craftsman Tool Company for $500 (quite a sum back then). Sears’ tool line uses a “good, better, best” pricing structure with Craftsman in the middle tier and the Craftsman Professional line as the “best” tier.
Best part of it all? All Craftsman hand tools carry a lifetime warranty. It’s a no questions asked (or at least it should be) warranty where you simply pull the replacement off the shelf. What if the item is no longer being produced? No problem, get something similar. Here’s a story of someone replacing a broken Craftsman shovel.
The warranty specifically states: “If for any reason your Craftsman hand tool ever fails to provide complete satisfaction, return it to any Sears store or other Craftsman outlet in the United States for free repair or replacement. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.”
There you go, a lifetime warranty without any hassles, “we have to send it to the factory” BS, and one of the reasons why Craftsman is considered one of the best brands for tools.
Jim is the principal editor of Home Tool Review team. 